I hang up the phone, shoving it in my pocket before getting in my car. I drive toward the local hang out spots the kids like to use. Jacob and the other boys saunter out of the diner on Main Street, the sound of laughter trailing behind them as they stop at the curb. I put the window down and call out,
“Hey, any of you boys seen or heard from Ro?”
“Hey, Logan, man. What’s up? Nah, we haven’t seen him. He left school and all. Walked right out,” Jacob says.
“Okay, thanks anyway,” I mumble, exasperated.
I look around the street, wondering where to start. I hear a gentle tapping on my window and quickly lower it again. Peter leans in on it, his disheveled blonde hair falling into his eyes.
“He usually heads to the lookout this time of year.”
“The lookout?”
“Yep,” Peter says, stepping back and nodding before jogging over to his friends.
Okay, I know where that is. But what’s he doing all the way out there? The drive only takes me ten minutes, and when I arrive, I see Ro, his shaggy brown hair shining brightly against the sun as he sits on top of a boulder. I park the car and make my way over. The snow has been falling all night, so it lies fresh and thick across the ground, crunching under my feet. Ro turns and sees it's me and frowns.
“What are you doing here?” he grumbles.
“I need to ask some questions.”
“What questions?” He pulls his jacket tighter around himself.
“Did you call Lola last night and ask to meet her?”
Ro glances away, a barely audible "Yeah" escaping his lips.
“Where were you going to meet?”
Ro drops his head, his shoulders hunched over. My heart twists at the look of defeat that comes over him. If I could take away his pain, I would. This kid has seen too much heartache. Then again, some would say the same about me.
“It was her, wasn’t it?” His eyes meet mine, tears rimming them. “She was the one found murdered?”
I gently place my hand on his shoulder. “It was her. I’m sorry, Ro.”
His eyes fall closed, and he trembles under my hand. I drop my hand and we sit in silence, staring out at the town beneath us. As the sun begins to set, the sky is awash with soft pinks and purples, casting a gentle glow over the landscape.
“We were going to meet at Jimmy’s Diner at eight, but she never showed.” His voice cracks and his eyes meet mine. “How could this happen?”
“I don’t know, Ro, but we’ll find who is responsible.”
He gives a solemn nod, his eyes filled with emotion. “She was special. Made me laugh and forget about how miserable I was.”
“I know that feeling,” I murmur.
“Why would anyone want to hurt her?”
“I don’t know.”
After a moment of silence, I can tell he’s gathering the courage to ask me something.
“How’d you get those scars?” Ro’s eyes hold mine, still and waiting.
“Come on, I will drive you home. I don’t want you out here alone.”
“Why won’t you tell me?”
“It's personal, Ro,” I huff, annoyance coating my tone.
